Conundrum

[kayos]

Just wondering.

If Cod move to deeper water at this time of year to spawn, why are there so many tiny Cod getting caught off the shore/piers etc?

[over par]

Their balls haven't dropped yet

[dabcatcher]

they are last years hatch..

[lumpsucker]

I was wondering if the number of codlets seems any higher or lower than previous years to you chaps. I know most won't survive to return next year, but it seems there's millions of them to me. What do you lot reckon?

[Sea_Troot]

for me compared to last year there is def more, specially in the tyne there all over, so hopefully next winter will be better as the should be of a lot better size having all year to grow and fatting up.

[kayos]

they are last years hatch..

So it takes a year to grow to say 6 inches? Didn't know that. Thanks

So they swim, when they are tiny, from deep water to the shoreline? I always thought they spawned close in to protect the young.

[mcaaz943]

There is deffo more tommys in the river this year hopefully a good sign of things to come.

[DaveyP]

I also thought that cod spawned in inshore waters.

BREEDING SEASON
From January to late March coinciding with the lowest sea temperatures of the year. A female cod can lay anything up to 5,000,000 eggs annually. The young cod hatch in the early spring and reach 4-6in in their first year. In the second year they attain 14-16in and 1.5 lbs in weight. growth accelerates in the third year reaching between 4 and 6lbs with approximately 20% become sexually mature. Most fish reach maturity when weighing 7-10lbs in their 4th year. Cod can be expected to add on roughly 4lbs per year, but extreme cases can double this.